Written Answers Nos. 1085-1097
1085. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 169, 170, 174 and 176 of 10 July 2014, when a response will issue from the Health Service Executive. [34349/14]
View answerI understand that the HSE wrote to the Deputy on 25th August in relation to PQ30460 and 26th August in relation to PQ30453. Primary Care Reimbursement Services Unit in the HSE is working to collate the data required to answer PQ30458 and will respond to the Deputy as soon as possible. In respect of PQ30454, I sent a reply to the Deputy on 20th August.
1086. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive a decision on an application to change GP; the reason for the inordinate delay; the reason for the Health Service Executive's failure to explain the delay and to answer previous correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34350/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
1087. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the renewal of medical cards in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34351/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
1088. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support the National Association of General Practitioners in its efforts to allow citizens to receive care in the community from adequately resourced general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34357/14]
View answerI am open to receiving the views of any interested party in the development of GP services as a key component of the overall health system.
1089. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a family with the fair deal scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34358/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
1090. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, with adequate resources in 2014-2015, particularly in its accident and emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34360/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1091. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the services available for young adults with moderate to severe learning disabilities living in Dublin 11. [34368/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
1092. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health his plans to discontinue from 2015 the Health Service Executive's preschool assistance subsidy to support children with Down's syndrome and other disabilities. [34418/14]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, provides for a free pre-school year to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. The objective of this scheme is to support early learning in a formal setting in advance of starting school. I understand that certain flexibilities are built into the scheme in an effort to accommodate children with special needs, such as an overage exemption, or waiver, for children with special needs who do not meet the age criteria and the option to avail of the free pre-school year over two years.
The Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the free pre-school year. As such, there is no national HSE policy in relation to the payment of a 'pre-school assistance subsidy' as referred to by the Deputy. However, the HSE does work at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. In certain locations, where resources are available, this may involve the HSE funding the provision of supports to enable a child with a disability to attend a mainstream pre-school. The Deputy is welcome to provide more details in relation to this query, which I would then provide to the HSE for investigation and direct reply.
1093. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the annual number of discretionary medical cards and discretionary general practitioner cards revoked on review between 1 July 2011 and 31 May 2014. [34425/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
1094. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of discretionary medical cards and discretionary general practitioner cards reinstated in June, July and August 2014. [34426/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
1095. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of patients with a subarachnoid haemorrhage who were treated in the neurosurgical centre in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively and to date in 2014; the corresponding figure for the number of patients with private health insurance in each year concerned; the corresponding figure for those with a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34436/14]
View answer1097. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of patients in each year from 2011 to 2013 and to date in 2014 who had a subarachnoid haemorrhage requiring neurosurgical or endovascular treatments who were not transferred to a neurosurgical centre in either Cork or Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, due to issues of capacity; the outcome, morbidity-mortality, for those patients; the steps being taken to ensure that all patients requiring neurosurgical or endovascular treatments in a specialist centre will be able to avail of it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34438/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1095 and 1097 together.
In relation to the detailed information sought by the Deputy, as these are service matters they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1096. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of patients with a subarachnoid haemorrhage who were treated in the neurosurgical centre in County Cork in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively and to date in 2014; the corresponding figure for the number of patients with private health insurance in each year concerned; the corresponding figure for those with a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34437/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed information sought by the Deputy, as these are service matters they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
